Press Release

The Great Escape, a solo exhibition of 20 new paintings and sculptures by Portland, OR based artist, Peter Gronquist. The Great Escape is Gronquist’s first exhibition at the recently launched Joseph Gross Gallery space, and a new direction from the artist’s previous work, exhibited last year in his breakout New York City solo show at ArtNowNY. Joseph Gross Gallery will host an opening reception on November 6, 2014 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM in Chelsea at 548 W 28th Street, 2nd Floor.

The Great Escape will highlight a new body of work consisting of oil enamel and acrylic paint on Plexiglas, abstract three-dimensional pieces and freestanding sculptures. The show’s title references to Gronquist’s departure from his previous work; ironic, conceptual, figurative paintings and sculptures that include a well known series of taxidermy animal pieces and designer branded firearms.

The new works have a visceral effect that blends the effects of color field painting with offhanded gestural movement and the paint’s own organic movement on the smooth matte surface to ethereal effect. A series of ‘infinity boxes’ are lit by LED lighting, while the paintings require only natural light to illuminate and glow. Admitting that his younger self would not understand this new direction, Gronquist felt the urge to start experimenting a year and a half ago. After completing several commissions for abstract works, Gronquist set to work redirecting his studio practice to thoroughly explore his desire for the newfound artistic impulse.

Gronquist describes the show as a “liberation” from the high production value of past works. Indeed, through abstraction, he craves to move away from the representational pieces that dominated his early career. The new work is truly experimental and raw, focused on leaving a mark with this newfound inner sincerity, as opposed to the irony of past work.

About the ArtistBorn 1979 in the USA, Peter lives and works in Portland, OR. After residing in Oakland, CA..he attended the School of Visual Art New York and received a BA in painting from San Francisco Art Institute in 2001. He has shown at Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles, Corey Helford Gallery in Los Angeles, Shooting Gallery in San Francisco, 1 AM Gallery in San Francisco, The Pittsfield Museum of Art, Scope New York and Miami, and his work is collected internationally.

About Joseph Gross GalleryJoseph Gross Gallery represents a stable of contemporary artists who exemplify the gallery’s commitment to pioneering genres and mediums. Located in the Chelsea art district of New York City, the gallery is the second New York space founded by Joseph Gross, a dealer working in both primary and secondary markets since 2005 who also founded ArtNowSF in San Francisco in 2005 and ArtNowNY in Chelsea in 2012. Joseph Gross is known for curating exhibitions that challenge convention and bring the most cutting edge images and ideas by today’s most exciting contemporary artists to the fore.